higher, though I know that something higher exists. By myself
I should fall to something lower: drink, perhaps, like Helnier, or
slouch into a slovenly Bohemianism that is lazier than my present
life without being any better otherwise. No: there is no use deny-
ing it: Christine has kept me up to a better mark than I could
have attained without her."
"Yes, my dear Nils; but youve killed Emmy, which you pro-
bably would not have done had you been a slovenly slouching
Bohemian.'*
"Thats true," said Krogstad, wincing, yet facing the reminder
grimly. "I shall stop Christine's mouth with that when she next
has a fit of sermonizing."
"What an egotist you are, Nils!" said Nora, not ill-naturedly.
"Now that you have got over the first shock of that poor girl's
death, you care no more about it than you will about the next
tradesman in difficulties whose application for a loan you will
refuse."
"You are her mother," he retorted; "and you dont seem deeply
affected."
"Her life was almost as sad to me as her death, Nils. But the
pain of parting from her wore itself out years ago, when she was
only the doll's plaything. It would take Christine's sense of the
duty of hypocrisy to enable me to pretend to miss what I have
done without for twenty years. And my heart has not been empty
all that time. I suppose you do not believe Christine's theory that
a woman's affections are naturally graduated in strict proportion
to blood relationship, and that ever since I left Torvald my heart
has been an aching void, and my life barren of the love of children
and of the pleasant interest in the promise of those who are too
young to stir our envy or cross our ambition. Since I freed my-
self, I have had enough and to spare of affection from children
of all ages, including you, Nils. I rest your soul from Christine,
do I not? By the bye, are you watching the hour?"
Krogstad hastily looked at his watch, and made at once for his
cape and hat When he had put them on, he hesitated, and said
irresolutely, "It will not seem my fault to the town, will it?"
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